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sydapel's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
An absolutely decadent slow burn of a story that would make an excellent starting point for anyone looking to get into the adult fantasy genre (and doesn't care to read about millennia old fae marrying 18 year old women). The plot is simple yet compelling and the characters are immediately so loveable. I could talk for ages about the themes of duty, fealty and strength in this book, but I won't lie, the main appeal is the rich love story between Kadou and Evermer. It's unclear at this point whether there will be a sequel, but I want one so badly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Death of parent
esh_maki's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
5.0
This book is a wonderful mix of politics and fantasy with just the perfect touch of romance splashed in. The characters are well developed, the plot is compelling, the conflict is complex and perfectly paced. I love everything about this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, and Sexual content
hendrixpants's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Mental illness
illogical's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent
buttermellow's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death and Injury/Injury detail
robin_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I hate to say that I simply barely enjoyed it. It had so much potential and had wonderful moments but..
As someone with Turkish background, it just threw me every time there was a Turkish word/name anything in there. I don't need those in my life. That's mostly on me but also I don't quite think it added anything into the story. Without a pronounication guide or at least a dictionary somewhere, I can't imagine how people will understand some of it. Yes, Google is right there but let's face it, not a lot of people will actually look things up.
Some of the words and terms simply weren't correct. Again, this is something someone with Turkish language knowledge will notice but no one else but still. At least look things up? I don't know..
My next big thing is the anxiety representation. When there are books like "Winter's Orbit" out there (which is one of my favorite reads of all time and a book I think about frequently) it just can't hold up to it.
If you want an easy read that isn't that high stakes or action-packed, this might be for you.
As someone with Turkish background, it just threw me every time there was a Turkish word/name anything in there. I don't need those in my life. That's mostly on me but also I don't quite think it added anything into the story. Without a pronounication guide or at least a dictionary somewhere, I can't imagine how people will understand some of it. Yes, Google is right there but let's face it, not a lot of people will actually look things up.
Some of the words and terms simply weren't correct. Again, this is something someone with Turkish language knowledge will notice but no one else but still. At least look things up? I don't know..
My next big thing is the anxiety representation. When there are books like "Winter's Orbit" out there (which is one of my favorite reads of all time and a book I think about frequently) it just can't hold up to it.
If you want an easy read that isn't that high stakes or action-packed, this might be for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent
sarahna's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
4.75 stars!
CW/Tropes provided by author.
I absolutely loved this book so this will probably end up being a spoiler filled rave review. It came into my life at the exact right time because I've been having some rough months and it really is as the author said in a podcast: the perfect chocolate cake of tropes that they like and it happens to be perfect for me as well.
The world building is superb and I didn't mind how the story threw me in making me fend for myself. I loved how queer and trans people just existed and there isn't one instance where their accepted existance gets explained or pointed out. They're just there and no on page homophobia occurrs either which is such a relief and refreshing!! I hope this becomes the new standard. The neo pronouns used for enby people were easy to understand, there's asexual rep as well and I personally head canon Evemer as Demisexual but that might just be me, a fellow queer demi person.
The plot was gripping and the pacing was engaging as well. I really liked the magic system of touch tasting in this story which reminded me a lot of synesthesia. The reason why it isn't a full 5 star book for me is because it was a bit underused in my opinion. I would've loved to see Kadou use his magic more but the instances he did make use of it were great. Of course the iron door hinges were the most memorable and it was fascinating to see how he imprinted a new memory and thus taste to iron.
My favorite part has to be how it subverted lots of tropes such as the way Tadek as a character was handled. At first I feared that the romance would feature him as Kadou's second love interest and make the already messy power imbalance between Kadou and Evemer even messier. That didn't happen though and Tadek wasn't just dropped once he wasn't with Kadou anymore either. The exes actually became friends and I grew to love Tadek's sassy banter and his amazing eye for fashion.
Evemer's character arc/growth was a stand out feature for me as well. In the beginning he's described as a stonewall, stoic and barely verbal aside from him acknowledging his lord/his higness when ordered to do things. He disliked Kadou for being flighty, negligent and didn't protest much when Kadou referred to his chronic anxiety as cowardice. Of course Kadou's not even close to a coward and his anxiety is useful in certain situation as well which is rare to see in books (his hypervigilance saved him from being attacked in his sleep and he's used to high stress so stressful situations don't throw him off unlike others). Evemer learns to appreciate Kadou's vulnerability and even strives to become more like him. It was beautiful to see how he started to talk more (thanks to Kadou coaxing it out of him) and the fantasy therapy at the temple gave a great insight to Evemer's inner conflict and showed how he's changed since the start as well. Also love the fact that this stoic stonewall isn't nearly as dominant and assertive as he would've been in other stories. No toxic masculinity to be seen here. He goes on and on about wanting to go on his knees in front of Kadou to press his forehead to his hands in act of fealty. He's so easily undone by Kadou's kisses and is just utterly smitten by him.
The romance was very slow paced but I love a good slow burn. Someone has said that this is a less dark version of the captive prince trilogy and I fully agree. I saw lots of parallels actually and as a huge fan of the trilogy it was greatly appreciated. I'll use bullet points to state some of my highlights because this review is already way too long:
-The YEARNING. It has to be written in caps because there's so much of it. The way Evemer yearns for Kadou and how Kadou keeps questioning their tension because Evermer's too stoney to read... delicious.
-Kissing to prevent being caught spying. This scene was so well written, their tension is hot and Evemer's clumzy inexperience and Kadou's assertiveness and wanting for more was just top notch.
-Hand holding/touching at Evemer's mother's house. The tenderness and yearning...
-The scene right after the sultan put Evemer on his knees and made him swear an oath for her. The confusing attraction and the way he had the urge to swear yet another oath to Kadou to clarify that he's the one for him and the tender face touching...
-The whole inn scene. Neck kisses and a make out session to hide their identity from the main villain. Genious.
-Kadou suggesting an impromptu wedding to save Evemer's life and mentioning an annulment once they're out of the predicament but secretly wishing that it was the real deal instead.
-The spicy palace garden scene once they finally talked about their feelings for each other???? It was everything and more that I wanted.
I could go on and on about how much I love their love and how all the side characters are fleshed out and not just afterthoughts as well. This is a warm hug in book form that I'll definitively return to. Highly recommend checking out the author's fanfic that feels like an epilogue and provides some more fun Tadek/Evemer banter and heartfelt, sexy letters. I have to check out more by this author!
CW/Tropes provided by author.
I absolutely loved this book so this will probably end up being a spoiler filled rave review. It came into my life at the exact right time because I've been having some rough months and it really is as the author said in a podcast: the perfect chocolate cake of tropes that they like and it happens to be perfect for me as well.
The world building is superb and I didn't mind how the story threw me in making me fend for myself. I loved how queer and trans people just existed and there isn't one instance where their accepted existance gets explained or pointed out. They're just there and no on page homophobia occurrs either which is such a relief and refreshing!! I hope this becomes the new standard. The neo pronouns used for enby people were easy to understand, there's asexual rep as well and I personally head canon Evemer as Demisexual but that might just be me, a fellow queer demi person.
The plot was gripping and the pacing was engaging as well. I really liked the magic system of touch tasting in this story which reminded me a lot of synesthesia. The reason why it isn't a full 5 star book for me is because it was a bit underused in my opinion. I would've loved to see Kadou use his magic more but the instances he did make use of it were great. Of course the iron door hinges were the most memorable and it was fascinating to see how he imprinted a new memory and thus taste to iron.
My favorite part has to be how it subverted lots of tropes such as the way Tadek as a character was handled. At first I feared that the romance would feature him as Kadou's second love interest and make the already messy power imbalance between Kadou and Evemer even messier. That didn't happen though and Tadek wasn't just dropped once he wasn't with Kadou anymore either. The exes actually became friends and I grew to love Tadek's sassy banter and his amazing eye for fashion.
Evemer's character arc/growth was a stand out feature for me as well. In the beginning he's described as a stonewall, stoic and barely verbal aside from him acknowledging his lord/his higness when ordered to do things. He disliked Kadou for being flighty, negligent and didn't protest much when Kadou referred to his chronic anxiety as cowardice. Of course Kadou's not even close to a coward and his anxiety is useful in certain situation as well which is rare to see in books (his hypervigilance saved him from being attacked in his sleep and he's used to high stress so stressful situations don't throw him off unlike others). Evemer learns to appreciate Kadou's vulnerability and even strives to become more like him. It was beautiful to see how he started to talk more (thanks to Kadou coaxing it out of him) and the fantasy therapy at the temple gave a great insight to Evemer's inner conflict and showed how he's changed since the start as well. Also love the fact that this stoic stonewall isn't nearly as dominant and assertive as he would've been in other stories. No toxic masculinity to be seen here. He goes on and on about wanting to go on his knees in front of Kadou to press his forehead to his hands in act of fealty. He's so easily undone by Kadou's kisses and is just utterly smitten by him.
The romance was very slow paced but I love a good slow burn. Someone has said that this is a less dark version of the captive prince trilogy and I fully agree. I saw lots of parallels actually and as a huge fan of the trilogy it was greatly appreciated. I'll use bullet points to state some of my highlights because this review is already way too long:
-The YEARNING. It has to be written in caps because there's so much of it. The way Evemer yearns for Kadou and how Kadou keeps questioning their tension because Evermer's too stoney to read... delicious.
-Kissing to prevent being caught spying. This scene was so well written, their tension is hot and Evemer's clumzy inexperience and Kadou's assertiveness and wanting for more was just top notch.
-Hand holding/touching at Evemer's mother's house. The tenderness and yearning...
-The scene right after the sultan put Evemer on his knees and made him swear an oath for her. The confusing attraction and the way he had the urge to swear yet another oath to Kadou to clarify that he's the one for him and the tender face touching...
-The whole inn scene. Neck kisses and a make out session to hide their identity from the main villain. Genious.
-Kadou suggesting an impromptu wedding to save Evemer's life and mentioning an annulment once they're out of the predicament but secretly wishing that it was the real deal instead.
-The spicy palace garden scene once they finally talked about their feelings for each other???? It was everything and more that I wanted.
I could go on and on about how much I love their love and how all the side characters are fleshed out and not just afterthoughts as well. This is a warm hug in book form that I'll definitively return to. Highly recommend checking out the author's fanfic that feels like an epilogue and provides some more fun Tadek/Evemer banter and heartfelt, sexy letters. I have to check out more by this author!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
jjjreads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Cursing
Minor: Child abuse, Medical content, Death of parent, and Deportation
readundancies's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
In March 2017, Nintendo rolled out one of the best games of the decade in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Me, being an absolute diehard fan of the Legend of Zelda series, thought they knocked it out of the park because here was a game where the stalwartly silent Link was a right and proper bodyguard appointed to his Princess Zelda who was stubborn and troubled and drowning in her duties to the crown. It was the bodyguard trope done right in the video game world.
And so now let’s fast forward to today, or rather August 2022 as a whole, where Alexandra Rowland has released these 500 pages of romance fantasy goodness. And yes, I say romance fantasy not fantasy romance intentionally because the romance dominates. The romance is everything. And it’s because the bodyguard trope is well and alive here in A Taste of Gold and Iron and it’s done right. So fantastically right, especially when I’ve already tried a bodyguard romance this year and it failed miserably at the time.
Instead, I present this to you.
Because this was just stunning.
Simply put, stunning. Stunningly written, stunningly queer and stunningly slow burn, which is all I could’ve really asked for.
This is a romance fantasy in a world where magic exists as a means to touch-taste and verify truth, and we see it within a counterfeiting conspiracy both as a means to verify said counterfeit coins and a means to ferret out lies during the investigation. Now, the investigation though it follows as the main arc of the plot, is not terribly nuanced or complex. Likewise, the worldbuilding even though it’s interesting and has some solid foundations, is not nearly fleshed out in the way I would’ve preferred.
But at the end of the day, this is a slower paced, politically inclined and character driven tale of queer romance, and I implore you to pick it up.
Because this story is unapologetically queer and in a way that not only feels natural, but achieves it in such an effortless and seamless manner. It’s beyond normalized in this world, in fact, it’s the best damn part of the worldbuilding if I do say so myself. And it doesn’t feel forced, it doesn’t have any stigma or prejudice attached to it at any point in the novel, and we need more fiction like this in the real world because there is not nearly enough it currently in existence. This book doesn’t manage queerness at all, it’s just set free to flourish and grow in whatever manner the characters living in the story see fit. It’s really refreshing to see and I think it’s done so well.
By page 50, the political manoeuvring is already well in place, and yes, it’s rather predictable as to how things play out, but it’s the how of the matter, the journey if you will which both Kadou and Evemer take that makes it all worth it. Because the characterization is top-tier.
Kadou is a picture of self-doubt, thrust into the spotlight by nature of his birthright and absolutely dreading every moment of it. Evemer in comparison has a very tight control on his emotions. I compare it to my all-time favourite portrayal of a bodyguard, the silent and stoic Link and Evemer was giving hardcore Link vibes, just an older version and with a lot more venom in the limited speech he used, at least at the beginning. Evemer is extremely opinionated and stubborn where Kadou is constantly overthinking his actions due to social anxiety. They were a wonderful dichotomy and their relationship dynamic was already fraught with tension upon their introduction to one another. I didn’t even really like Tadek at first - he was leaving such a bad taste in my mouth. But that’s entirely intentional, Rowland manages to write in a way that frames your mind based on how Evemer describes Tadek in order to show both characters mindsets initally and then allows them to flourish and grow as characters. And Tadek definietly grows on you, albeit like a fungus, but that’s the point.
Kadou especially is character that warrants a little more analysis. He’s a character of a completely different type of destruction than I’m used to and gravitate towards and that made it hard for me to understand him at times, and I loved him for it. He hyperfocused on past conversations, picking them apart to carefully cater every instance of when he’d made a mistake, a verbal faux pas, an error, whether properly perceived or not. It was frustrating to be in his mind because he cared so much, too much and he succumbed to his demons and anxieties very frequently. And he was self aware of it all too, which added this extra layer to contend with when he interacted with others. At first, his perception of rank was so fixed, he thought he couldn’t ask for assistance without it being a burden. He was just such a bleeding heart. He spent so much time living within the confines of his own mind that he had no way of functioning to any great degree outside of it. And so became wildly reckless when it all came to be too much and it made him such a juicy character to read about. It’s an emotionally exhausting way to live life and not one I’m familiar with, which made reading from his perspective a lot more meaningful to me.
And it’s entirely because the writing is so strong. Rowland excels at dialogue, both the quippy kind and the emotional kind. You could see it in the begrudging and volatile nature of Tadek and Evemer’s friendship (the snark was a highlight for me) and in the sweet way Kadou would giggle at something humourous Evemer would say unintentionally. The writing was also completely immersive. I started this last night, put it down the one time and once I picked it up again this morning, I couldn’t stop. The story was a drug, I was on high and I never wanted it to stop. Because the slow burn of the romance was luscious. Addicting, even. There was a hair washing scene that was the epitome of intimate and I had such longing in my bones as I read it. Every time Evemer said “My lord” I was blushing because it was basically Westley from The Princess Bride saying “As you wish” and I love when a single and simple sentence can hold so much meaning through repetition.
And though a lot of the sexy scenes occur entirely off-page, even the one scene near the end was this tame and classy moment that was tender and sweet with absolutely no mention of what became unmentionable ‘bits’ in sight. It was gentle, it was patient, it was almost painfully non vulgar and I’m amazed at how it all came together so nicely.
If you want a queer romance fantasy read that does the bodyguard trope justice, look no further. This is it. It's hands down one of my favourites of the year so far.
And so now let’s fast forward to today, or rather August 2022 as a whole, where Alexandra Rowland has released these 500 pages of romance fantasy goodness. And yes, I say romance fantasy not fantasy romance intentionally because the romance dominates. The romance is everything. And it’s because the bodyguard trope is well and alive here in A Taste of Gold and Iron and it’s done right. So fantastically right, especially when I’ve already tried a bodyguard romance this year and it failed miserably at the time.
Instead, I present this to you.
Because this was just stunning.
Simply put, stunning. Stunningly written, stunningly queer and stunningly slow burn, which is all I could’ve really asked for.
This is a romance fantasy in a world where magic exists as a means to touch-taste and verify truth, and we see it within a counterfeiting conspiracy both as a means to verify said counterfeit coins and a means to ferret out lies during the investigation. Now, the investigation though it follows as the main arc of the plot, is not terribly nuanced or complex. Likewise, the worldbuilding even though it’s interesting and has some solid foundations, is not nearly fleshed out in the way I would’ve preferred.
But at the end of the day, this is a slower paced, politically inclined and character driven tale of queer romance, and I implore you to pick it up.
Because this story is unapologetically queer and in a way that not only feels natural, but achieves it in such an effortless and seamless manner. It’s beyond normalized in this world, in fact, it’s the best damn part of the worldbuilding if I do say so myself. And it doesn’t feel forced, it doesn’t have any stigma or prejudice attached to it at any point in the novel, and we need more fiction like this in the real world because there is not nearly enough it currently in existence. This book doesn’t manage queerness at all, it’s just set free to flourish and grow in whatever manner the characters living in the story see fit. It’s really refreshing to see and I think it’s done so well.
By page 50, the political manoeuvring is already well in place, and yes, it’s rather predictable as to how things play out, but it’s the how of the matter, the journey if you will which both Kadou and Evemer take that makes it all worth it. Because the characterization is top-tier.
Kadou is a picture of self-doubt, thrust into the spotlight by nature of his birthright and absolutely dreading every moment of it. Evemer in comparison has a very tight control on his emotions. I compare it to my all-time favourite portrayal of a bodyguard, the silent and stoic Link and Evemer was giving hardcore Link vibes, just an older version and with a lot more venom in the limited speech he used, at least at the beginning. Evemer is extremely opinionated and stubborn where Kadou is constantly overthinking his actions due to social anxiety. They were a wonderful dichotomy and their relationship dynamic was already fraught with tension upon their introduction to one another. I didn’t even really like Tadek at first - he was leaving such a bad taste in my mouth. But that’s entirely intentional, Rowland manages to write in a way that frames your mind based on how Evemer describes Tadek in order to show both characters mindsets initally and then allows them to flourish and grow as characters. And Tadek definietly grows on you, albeit like a fungus, but that’s the point.
Kadou especially is character that warrants a little more analysis. He’s a character of a completely different type of destruction than I’m used to and gravitate towards and that made it hard for me to understand him at times, and I loved him for it. He hyperfocused on past conversations, picking them apart to carefully cater every instance of when he’d made a mistake, a verbal faux pas, an error, whether properly perceived or not. It was frustrating to be in his mind because he cared so much, too much and he succumbed to his demons and anxieties very frequently. And he was self aware of it all too, which added this extra layer to contend with when he interacted with others. At first, his perception of rank was so fixed, he thought he couldn’t ask for assistance without it being a burden. He was just such a bleeding heart. He spent so much time living within the confines of his own mind that he had no way of functioning to any great degree outside of it. And so became wildly reckless when it all came to be too much and it made him such a juicy character to read about. It’s an emotionally exhausting way to live life and not one I’m familiar with, which made reading from his perspective a lot more meaningful to me.
And it’s entirely because the writing is so strong. Rowland excels at dialogue, both the quippy kind and the emotional kind. You could see it in the begrudging and volatile nature of Tadek and Evemer’s friendship (the snark was a highlight for me) and in the sweet way Kadou would giggle at something humourous Evemer would say unintentionally. The writing was also completely immersive. I started this last night, put it down the one time and once I picked it up again this morning, I couldn’t stop. The story was a drug, I was on high and I never wanted it to stop. Because the slow burn of the romance was luscious. Addicting, even. There was a hair washing scene that was the epitome of intimate and I had such longing in my bones as I read it. Every time Evemer said “My lord” I was blushing because it was basically Westley from The Princess Bride saying “As you wish” and I love when a single and simple sentence can hold so much meaning through repetition.
And though a lot of the sexy scenes occur entirely off-page, even the one scene near the end was this tame and classy moment that was tender and sweet with absolutely no mention of what became unmentionable ‘bits’ in sight. It was gentle, it was patient, it was almost painfully non vulgar and I’m amazed at how it all came together so nicely.
If you want a queer romance fantasy read that does the bodyguard trope justice, look no further. This is it. It's hands down one of my favourites of the year so far.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder
purplepenning's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Fascinating characters, beautifully built world, exquisite slow-burn pining, a plot that could use a little more substance
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death and Sexual content